Ryan Pini
Encyclopedia
Ryan John Pini is a 2-time Olympic swimmer from Papua New Guinea
. He swam for PNG at the 2004
and 2008 Olympics
; also serving as the PNG flagbearer in 2008. He is the first PNG swimmer ever to reach an Olympic final.
While Pini grew up in Papua New Guinea, he currently trains primarily in Brisbane, Australia
, and competes for the Yeronga Park Swim Club.
, finishing 18th.
, Pini became the just the second individual from Papua New Guinea to win an individual gold medal at any Olympic or Commonwealth Games, when he won the Men's 100 m Butterfly. In doing so, Pini also won Papua New Guinea's first ever swimming medal at an Olympic or Commonwealth Games. His winning time of 52.64 was enough to edge out Michael Klim
of Australia
and Moss Burmester
of New Zealand
.
Pini also competed in the final of the Men's 50 m Butterfly, finishing fifth, and made the semifinal of the Men's 100 m freestyle.
in Melbourne.
He reached the 100m butterfly and 50m butterfly semifinals.
He competed in the heats of the 100m freestyle.
for Papua New Guinea
at the Opening Ceremony
of the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing.
Pini ranked first in the third heat of the Men's 100m Freestyle, but did not make a qualifying time for the semi finals. He also competed in heats for the 200m freestyle.
Pini competed in the 100m butterfly, where he was Papua New Guinea's most widely anticipated chance at attaining a first olympic medal. He competed in the finals, and finished 8th overall, in a tough line up which included American big fish Michael Phelps
, who took gold. Pini was the first Papua New Guinean ever to swim an Olympic final.
. His other training partners include Jackson VanDerZant, Sam James, Adam Hosking and Josh Smith.
He won the Male Swimmer of the Meet honors at the 2003 South Pacific Games
, where he won 7 events, 4 in Games Records.
After his victory in the 100m butterfly at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Pini was ranked number one in the world for the event and held this ranking for 4 months.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. He swam for PNG at the 2004
Papua New Guinea at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Papua New Guinea competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.-Athletics:While neither Papua New Guinean athlete managed to advance out of the first round, both managed to set new national records in their events....
and 2008 Olympics
Papua New Guinea at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Papua New Guinea competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.-Athletics:While neither Papua New Guinean athlete managed to advance out of the first round, both managed to set new national records in their events....
; also serving as the PNG flagbearer in 2008. He is the first PNG swimmer ever to reach an Olympic final.
While Pini grew up in Papua New Guinea, he currently trains primarily in Brisbane, Australia
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, and competes for the Yeronga Park Swim Club.
2004 Summer Olympics
Pini competed in the 100 m Butterfly at the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, finishing 18th.
2006 Commonwealth Games
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
, Pini became the just the second individual from Papua New Guinea to win an individual gold medal at any Olympic or Commonwealth Games, when he won the Men's 100 m Butterfly. In doing so, Pini also won Papua New Guinea's first ever swimming medal at an Olympic or Commonwealth Games. His winning time of 52.64 was enough to edge out Michael Klim
Michael Klim
Michael Klim OAM is a Polish-born Australian swimmer. He was born in Gdynia. He was educated at the University High School, Melbourne and Wesley College, Melbourne where he is currently employed as the College's elite Head Coach of swimming...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Moss Burmester
Moss Burmester
Moss James Burmester is a New Zealand swimmer. His specialist event is the 200m butterfly in which he holds the Commonwealth record of 1:54.35 set at the 2008 Summer Olympics...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Pini also competed in the final of the Men's 50 m Butterfly, finishing fifth, and made the semifinal of the Men's 100 m freestyle.
2007 World Aquatics Championships
Pini competed in the 2007 World Aquatics Championships2007 World Aquatics Championships
The 2007 World Aquatics Championships or the XII FINA World Championships were held in Melbourne, Australia from 17 March to 1 April 2007...
in Melbourne.
He reached the 100m butterfly and 50m butterfly semifinals.
He competed in the heats of the 100m freestyle.
2008 Summer Olympics
Pini was the flag bearer2008 Summer Olympics national flag bearers
During the Parade of Nations portion of the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, athletes from each country participating in the Olympics paraded in the arena, preceded by their flag...
for Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Papua New Guinea sent a team to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The country's participation, in part, was funded by a large "nationwide fun run" organised in early July, with expectations of 35,000 participating runners...
at the Opening Ceremony
2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 8, 2008, as 8 is considered to be a lucky number. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture...
of the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing.
Pini ranked first in the third heat of the Men's 100m Freestyle, but did not make a qualifying time for the semi finals. He also competed in heats for the 200m freestyle.
Pini competed in the 100m butterfly, where he was Papua New Guinea's most widely anticipated chance at attaining a first olympic medal. He competed in the finals, and finished 8th overall, in a tough line up which included American big fish Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
, who took gold. Pini was the first Papua New Guinean ever to swim an Olympic final.
Training
Pini trains under supercoach Rick VanDerZant and alongside ex Australian swimming representative Andrew MewingAndrew Mewing
Andrew Mewing is an Australian Swimmer who has competed at the 2006 Commonwealth games, numerous Pan Pacific Swimming Championships and World Swimming Championships. He is currently President of the Australian Swimmers Association and on the board of the St Laurence's College Old Boys'...
. His other training partners include Jackson VanDerZant, Sam James, Adam Hosking and Josh Smith.
Personal life
In his spare time Pini enjoys playing his Wii or relaxing at Stradbroke Island with his wife, Carly Vincenzi, who he wed in October 2011. In January 2011, Pini had his fourth shoulder operation.Achievements
Pini won the Papua New Guinea Sportsman of the Year Award in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011 and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.He won the Male Swimmer of the Meet honors at the 2003 South Pacific Games
Swimming at the 2003 South Pacific Games
The swimming competition at the 2003 South Pacific Games took place from June 30-July 7, 2003 in Suva, Fiji.The pool events were held on the first 6 days in the 50m pool at Fiji's National Aquatics Centre, and a 3-kilometre open water race was held at Pacific Harbour on Monday, July 7, 2003...
, where he won 7 events, 4 in Games Records.
After his victory in the 100m butterfly at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Pini was ranked number one in the world for the event and held this ranking for 4 months.
External links
- "Pini claims swimming glory", Naziah AliNaziah AliNaziah Ali held the title of Miss India Fiji 2009. She represented Fiji to the Miss India Worldwide Pageant in Durban, in February 2009. She is the first Indo Fijian from Fiji to represent Fiji to the pageant. Ali is of both Indian and Fijian origin...
, University of the South Pacific, 1 July 2003 - Radio Australia: PNG's Pini, Pacific ready for winning day eight